First Million $$ Player

[MoRivera71]

Does anyone remember who was the first? Catfish Or Nolan Ryan?

[Dynasty2000]

It was Nolan Ryan.....geez I remember all the hoopla---to think that now that seems like chump change to us in comparison with the A-Rod's, Jeters and Manny Ramirez's of the world.

[Jersey Yankee]

About what year was this? I remember Mattingly once signed for $1.99m since George didn't want to have a $2m player on his hands. Probably why George didn't sign Jeter earlier, since he would've been highest paid, if even for a few weeks.

[Dynasty2000]

Originally posted by Jersey Yankee
About what year was this? I remember Mattingly once signed for $1.99m since George didn't want to have a $2m player on his hands. Probably why George didn't sign Jeter earlier, since he would've been highest paid, if even for a few weeks.

Nolan Ryan was signed in 1979 to a four year deal for 4.5 million dollars.

You're right about George not signing Jeter earlier to avoid having the highest player---at the time Jeter was going to get signed Juan Gonzales was nearing a contract deal of over 110 million dollars. George wanted to wait until Juan Gonzales was signed before signing Jeter to avoid having the highest paid player in baseball. The Gonzales signing fell through so in the end George got screwed because he ended up having to pay Jeter 189 million dollars as opposed to the 110 that Jeter was willing to sign the year before.

But hey that's George for ya...nothing surprises me from that man!